Soccer Star George Baldock Found Dead in Swimming Pool at 31

The soccer world is mourning the loss of a super league player. 

George Baldock, a British-born Panathinaikos defender, was found dead in a swimming pool at his Glyfada, southern Athens, Greece home Oct. 9, authorities told Reuters. He was 31. 

The soccer star’s cause of death is still unknown, but once arriving on the scene, authorities attempted an unsuccessful cardiopulmonary resuscitation. He was pronounced dead at 10 p.m. local time. Authorities told the BBC that they do not believe foul play was involved. 

Baldock, who is of Greek ancestry, had recently joined the country’s professional football club after leaving England’s Sheffield United in May. Although he had represented Greece a dozen times in international games, he had only appeared in four games with Panathinaikos at the time of his death, BBC reported.

He had also previously played for lower-tier English leagues including Oxford United and MK Dons—before moving on to Sheffield in 2017, where he stayed for seven years. 

And the club itself and its former players took to social media to share tributes to the late 31-year-old. 

“Sheffield United Football Club is shocked and extremely saddened to learn of the passing of former player, George Baldock,” Baldock’s former team wrote in an X, formerly Twitter, post Oct. 9. “The defender left the club in the summer after seven years at Bramall Lane and was extremely popular with supporters, staff and team-mates who pulled on a red and white shirt alongside him.”

The statement concluded, “The sincere condolences of everyone associated with Sheffield United are extended to George’s family and friends.”

Meanwhile, Manchester United player Harry Maguire—who played for Sheffield in the early 2010s—took to his Instagram to remember the late player, sharing a photo along with a red heart emoji and writing, “RIP.”

On the soccer pitch, Baldock—whose brother Sam Baldock works as a coach for Brighton & Hove Albion soccer club—was known as “Furious George,” but he was described as “warm,” and “lovely” by those close to him, per the Athletic. 

After completing his tenure at Sheffield, Baldock had written a heartfelt Instagram tribute to his time on the team and what it meant to him. 

“Those memories will stay with me forever,” he wrote in the May 20 post. “I’ve been lucky enough to be part of some of the best dressing rooms you could ever wish for and made friends for life. To you fans, thank you. You have been incredible with me from day 1 and I will never forget it.”

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